Podcast Archives

Rhythm Encounter 102 – Airships, Buses, and Cannons

Posted by Mike Salbato on February 6, 2023

Released in 2015, episode 27 of Rhythm Encounter was all about RPG transportation themes, like chocobos, airships, mechas, and boats. Because of the variety of creative vehicles and travel in our favorite genre — and because it’s been nearly eight years — it’s high time for another take on this topi… Read More »

Random Encounter 260 – Is Forspoken Really All That Bad?

Posted by Jonathan Logan on January 30, 2023

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re talking about two games: one controversial, one not! Square Enix’s recent release, Forspoken, had a rough ride during its development, and it doesn’t look like that ended with its release. While many think it’s a perfectly fine action RPG, others feel… Read More »

Retro Encounter 362 – RPGs on Repeat

Posted by Michael Sollosi on January 26, 2023

“Do you think games are silly little things?” Most RPGs aren’t designed to be played multiple times. You take in the story, see a few numbers increase incrementally, fight a boss, and roll some credits. But that doesn’t stop a huge number of RPG fans from replaying their favorites multiple times, an… Read More »

Rhythm Encounter 101 – Recent RPG Music 101

Posted by Mike Salbato on January 23, 2023

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Rhythm broadcast to bring you some exciting new music that is worth listening to with some urgency! While the transportation episode is making its journey here and the Xeno episode is leveling up to handle its high-level composers effectively, we decided to brin… Read More »

Retro Encounter 361 – Xeno Series Fantasy Draft

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on January 19, 2023

Hey, at least there’s no gacha in today’s episode. While we might not love gacha mechanics in RPGs, we sure do love the characters in the Xeno series, and for today’s episodes we gathered four of our biggest Xeno fans on staff to draft our very own fantasy teams. Which protagonis… Read More »

Random Encounter 259 – Marvel Talk

Posted by Jonathan Logan on January 16, 2023

On this episode of Random Encounter, the panel REALLY gets into talking about Marvel Comics and music! A surprise hit of 2022 was Marvel’s Midnight Suns. Audra recently reviewed the supernatural-tinged strategy RPG, giving both Audra and Jono an opportunity to nerd the heck out about Marvel! Then, M… Read More »

Retro Encounter 360 – Year of the Pokémon

Posted by Michael Sollosi on January 12, 2023

Wild PODCAST appeared! The 12 months from November 19th, 2021 to November 18th, 2022 were monumental for the most popular RPG franchise in the world. The Pokémon Company had three major releases in that timespan, with a set of remakes, a groundbreaking prequel, and a new pair of flagship games. In t… Read More »

Rhythm Encounter 100 – Return of the Kings

Posted by Mike Salbato on January 9, 2023

Rhythm Encounter launched its first episode in February 2013. Nearly ten years later and after some changes in leadership and a multi-year break, we have hit a milestone with our 100th episode! We decided early last year that we wanted to celebrate this occasion by inviting back our show’s founders,… Read More »

Retro Encounter 359 – RPGFan’s Guide to Style

Posted by Michael Sollosi on January 5, 2023

“If fashion were easy, wouldn’t everybody look great?” Today, Retro Encounter channels their inner Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn and discusses a few of the best and worst clothing choices made by RPG characters. What Persona character wore it best? Who has the best Mass Effect space suit? What oldschool a… Read More »

Random Encounter 258 – Front Echoes

Posted by Jonathan Logan on January 2, 2023

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re talking about two awesome RPGs released at the tail end of 2022. First up, Caitlin talks about her experience with the retro-indie JRPG, Chained Echoes. Primarily developed by a single person for the last seven years, this incredible JRPG evokes all those f… Read More »

Retro Encounter 358 – 2022 Year in Review

Posted by Michael Sollosi on December 29, 2022

Should auld RPGs be forgot, and never brought to mind? No, that’s why this show exists, and auld lang syne. It’s that time of year again, where Retro Encounter lives in the very recent past and goes over several of the present panel’s favorite games of the calendar year. From remasters of 1994 Squar… Read More »

Rhythm Encounter 99 – Music of the Year 2022

Posted by Mike Salbato on December 26, 2022

It’s that time of year! A time of both reflection and celebration of 2022’s best RPG music, and we had no shortage of great options this year. From major titles like Xenoblade Chronicles 3 to long-awaited releases like the LIVE A LIVE HD-2D remake, to indie titles like Chained Echoes and Citizen Sle… Read More »

Retro Encounter 357 – Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht Part II

Posted by Michael Sollosi on December 25, 2022

It’s a Xenomas Miracle! Xenosaga is a game about humanity, starring a cast that rangers from an android unable to distinguish empathy from protocol to an artificial human clinging to memories of her human parents to a cyborg trying to reject his own humanity. But regardless of the biology or technol… Read More »

Random Encounter 257 – RPGFan’s Most Anticipated Games of 2023

Posted by Jonathan Logan on December 19, 2022

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re talking about the games we’re most excited about in 2023! Each and every December, RPGFan publishes one of the year’s biggest features: a look ahead at the upcoming year. And this week on the show, our panel gets to geek out over it! What games do we think… Read More »

Retro Encounter 356 – Xenosaga Episode 1: Der Wille zur Macht

Posted by Michael Sollosi on December 15, 2022

KOS-MOS isn’t a doctor, but she’ll die-a-Gnosis. Retro Encounter recorded episodes on Xenogears, Xenoblade, and Baten Kaitos several years ago, but what about the series that put Monolith Soft on the map? Today one superfan and three newcomers discuss the background, themes, characters, and early st… Read More »

Rhythm Encounter 98 – Persona Songs for Everyone’s Souls

Posted by Hilary Andreff on December 13, 2022

Welcome to a podcast between dreams and reality, mind and matter… Okay, so it’s not the Velvet Room, but it’s a dedicated episode of Rhythm Encounter to celebrate it and the far-reaching and varied music in the Persona series. Join Gio of the Justice Arcana, Neal of the Death Arcana, Sollosi of th… Read More »

Retro Encounter 355 – Muppets Encounter

Posted by Michael Sollosi on December 8, 2022

It’s in the singing of a street corner choir / It’s going home and getting warm by the fire / It’s true, wherever you find love, it feels like Muppets. It’s the Muppets episode! Three RPGFan podcast hosts are lifelong fans of The Muppets, so in the grand tradition of A Muppet Christmas Carol and Mup… Read More »

Random Encounter 256 – End-of-2022 Review Roundup!

Posted by Jonathan Logan on December 5, 2022

On this episode of Random Encounter, we’re catching up on some of the biggest and best RPGs over the last few weeks and months. First, Niki walks us through the bug-laden fields of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet! Then, Des flies us into the great beyond with his thoughts about Star Ocean: The Divine F… Read More »

Retro Encounter 354 – Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Spoilercast

Posted by Zach Wilkerson on December 1, 2022

And now it’s time to dive into something a bit meatier. Monolithsoft’s latest game, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, finally dropped in July, and we gathered five of our biggest Xeno fans to discuss the gall of Tetsuya Takahashi’s new jam. Listen in as we chat about the delightful British-isms, if there’s fi… Read More »

Rhythm Encounter 97 – Fast Travel: Songs for your Commute

Posted by Mike Salbato on November 28, 2022

Commuting comes in several forms, especially over the last few years. Whether you drive to work or school, take a train or bus, or simply walk, many of us have a soundtrack or playlist for our daily journeys. Whether you’re pumping yourself up for the day ahead, or winding down on the ride home, wha… Read More »

Retro Encounter 353 – Mass Effect 3

Posted by Michael Sollosi on November 24, 2022

Silversun Strip Apartments. When you’re here, you’re family. Mass Effect 3 was an RPG event when it launched in 2012, and underneath the vitriolic reaction to its ending and multiple waves of DLC both expansive and reconstructive is an excellent shooter RPG. In today’s episode of Retro Encounter, th… Read More »

Rhythm Encounter 96 – The Very Best of Pokémon

Posted by Mike Salbato on November 21, 2022

It’s 2022 and 10-year-old Ash Ketchum has finally won a Pokémon Championship after 25 years. Don’t think about the math too much, or you’ll end up feeling the need to Go Home and Sleep. Instead, we recommend listening to a lineup of great Pokémon music, and today’s panelists have you covered! From w… Read More »

Retro Encounter 352 – Mass Effect 2

Posted by Michael Sollosi on November 17, 2022

I am the very model of a sci-fi shooter RPG! From Omega to Luna I’m the zenith and the apogee! 2010’s Mass Effect 2 continues the story of Commander Shepard’s quest to save the galaxy, but with new crew members, new benefactors, and way more planet scanning. An RPGFan away team discusses Mass Effect… Read More »

Random Encounter 255 – This Way Madness Lies: An Interview with Zeboyd Games

Posted by Jonathan Logan on November 14, 2022

On this episode of Random Encounter, Jono and Michael Sollosi team up to speak with the gang behind Zeboyd Games about their latest title: This Way Madness Lies! Robert Boyd and William Stiernberg at Zeboyd Games have been turning out innovative indie RPGs since Breath of Death VII: The Beginning in… Read More »

Retro Encounter 351 – Mass Effect Revisited

Posted by Michael Sollosi on November 10, 2022

Back on our BioWare business. Mass Effect was one of the biggest phenomena in video games from the late 2000s through the early 2010s, and all three games in the original trilogy hold up as role-playing games, first-person shooters, and science fiction stories. Through the month of November, Retro E… Read More »

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